Recipe: Southern Skillet Hash

One-pot meals make me feel like I’ve expedited the dinner process, giving me more time at the dinner table than in the kitchen preparing the meal.

This skillet hash has an equation you can follow to make it with what you already have in your pantry. Choose a russet or sweet potato as your starch, two to three vegetables or greens and one protein. Then follow this recipe and substitute your options for what’s here. After you try it a few times, you’ll feel like you’ve got a great one-pot dish in your back pocket for any busy or late night when you want a simple but hearty meal.

Consider using what vegetables are in season. Kale is usually found as early as late Spring, but corn has only just been planted in some places. For this recipe I used frozen corn that was frozen fresh last year. If you’re in a warmer climate and have more produce available on a regular basis, just use what flavors you know you enjoy. Try mixing in greens with bright colored vegetables for a vibrant dish.

Since the protein I chose was bacon, I had the bacon fat to cook the potatoes in. If you’re using a meat with less fat or you’re omitting the meat, you’ll need two tablespoons of olive oil, butter or a combination of the two instead. Stay traditional with bacon and sausage or switch it up with shredded rotisserie chicken, chorizo, Andouille sausage or tofu.

Southern Skillet Hash

Serves 4

Ingredients:

3 large russet potatoes, cubed

10 pieces of bacon

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 bunch of kale

1 8-oz container white button mushrooms, diced

1 ½ cups frozen corn (or one can)

½ tsp onion powder

½ tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

½ tsp paprika

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

How-To:

In a large skillet or dutch oven, heat to medium and cook bacon until browned. Set aside on a paper towel.

While the bacon cooks, dice the potatoes and put them in a large bowl. Cover the potatoes with water and let sit.

Leave all the bacon fat in the skillet and turn the heat down to medium low. Drain the potatoes and add them to the skillet. Cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until soft, stirring every few minutes to keep the potatoes from sticking to the pan.

Meanwhile, remove the stems from the kale and wash thoroughly. Tear into small pieces and set aside.

When the potatoes have cooked through, add the minced garlic, onion powder, salt, black pepper, paprika and cayenne pepper and stir. Stir in the corn, mushrooms, kale, red wine vinegar and olive oil and cover, cooking and stirring occasionally until kale is soft and tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the bacon and serve.